You may have heard rumors that it’s possible to get paid to drive your car, or in some cases, get a car to use for free. While participation is limited and luck is needed along with living in the right place for a particular campaign, it is possible to get paid to have your car (or a car given to you) turned into a moving advertisement. If you drive 800 miles or more a month along heavily populated routes in your normal driving habits, you may want to check out the companies that offer car wraps.

The concept is fairly simple. Advertising space on billboards along busy roads and highways is limited and in some places not allowed at all. It’s possible, however, to reach many of those people another way. Companies advertise on the outside of cars to reach those same people. The problem is that purchasing an entire fleet of cars for an advertising campaign can be overly expensive, so a solution was developed.

Instead of purchasing their own cars, companies will sometimes “rent” space on individual private citizen’s cars. In return for letting a company “wrap” your car with their advertisement, they will pay you a monthly fee. The fees can be as high as $400 a month for a full car wrap and lesser amounts for a partial car wrap or a window wrap.

Another option that some of these companies offer in place of car wraps is giving you a free car with advertisements already on it. You usually don’t get paid in this deal or get to choose the type of car provided, but you do receive free use of the car for the period of the campaign. Your only costs are gas and insurance meaning that you are getting transportation at a fraction of the cost of owning your own car. There are some rare cases when you can get paid when receiving a free car. Some companies will pay you to drive the free cars along certain, specified routes each day.

So what is the catch? The main one is there are far more drivers wanting the positions than advertising campaigns available. If you don’t drive a lot of miles or live in a highly populated area (large college campuses seem to be an ideal location) where the advertisement will be seen by a population the advertisers crave, your chances of being chosen are slim. Most companies require you to drive a minimum of 800 miles a month. Not driving enough miles can negate the contract and most companies utilize global positioning systems (GPS) in your car to track the miles and places you go each month.

Most programs require you to be 18 years of age, have a clean driving record and your own auto insurance. Traffic violations will in most cases prohibit you from being considered. Contracts vary in length and amount paid depending on the type of advertising in the campaign involved. Most companies don’t let you pick the advertiser, but will let you bow out if the advertiser goes against your moral values (cigarettes, alcohol and sex).

With the concept there are a growing number of websites that don’t actually offer the service of car wrapping, but claim to be a data base for advertisers to find people willing to advertise on their cars. Many offer free sign up, but then encourage you to purchase a “premium package” that is supposed to move your name higher up on the list. The fact is that you are very unlikely to be picked from these services so it isn’t worth the time (and definitely not the money) signing up with them.

While the chances of being picked are slim, they are better than playing the lottery. If you meet the requirements and live in an area you believe would be desirable to advertisers, it could be worth the 15 to 30 minutes it takes to fill out the online forms. If you are lucky and do get picked, you will significantly reduce your driving expenses with little effort on your part.

Jeffrey Strain has published hundreds of money saving articles. You can read more about auto wraps at paidtodriveautowrap.com paidtodriveautowrap.com

What’s the Deal?
It’s quite simple. Big corporations are always looking for new ways to promote themselves. And the latest, most innovative way, is you. All you have to do is agree to place the logo or advertisement of a company on your car, and drive with it wherever you go. This new method of company promotion offers an immense benefit to the advertiser, and you profit from it. In some cases, the company will actually give you a new car with a logo already on it. And all you have to do is drive.

Does this actually work?
Yes. But be ready to wait a while before making any money – you will be at the mercy of your advertisers. On average, applications are accepted within 90 days of submission. But the wait might be well worth it in the end. Today there are literally millions of people who are benefiting from this new advertising strategy throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe.

What’s the catch?
There are two things you have to realize before considering this money-making tactic. First, you must be willing to have the advertisement on your car wherever you go; you are not permitted to take it off until the advertising term ends. And secondly, you must agree to drive at least 1 000 miles per month. But most people do this anyway. It is also a plus to leave in or near a large urban center and to park in a public place as much as possible. The advertisers will collect this and other detailed information from you before working with you. Moreover, you will be responsible for insurance, maintenance, and paying for gas. You must also be at least 18 years of age, and have a good driving history.

Where do I start?
There are quite a few companies on the internet that offer this service. What they will do is take your name and submit it to a list of advertisers, or better yet, they will simply give you a list of the advertisers who are willing to offer you cash for driving. In the latter case, you can pick your favorite and contact them directly. In all it only take one sign up (usually about $30) and a few e-mails and you’re done.

How much will I make?
Between $100 and $3000 every month. Of course very few people make $3000 per month. But it depends on the company, how far you drive, where you drive, and the type of ad that’s placed on your car.

Where to Look: makemoneydriving.biz www.makemoneydriving.biz
The customer service here is excellent. And the directory offered is very thorough, which results in the highest chances of getting accepted, and being paid more. The information provided on the site is somewhat lacking, but you can always ask for more details to make sure you’re getting what you pay for.

Another Website: thefreecar.com www.thefreecar.com
TheFreeCar.com features a tool to locate programs available in your area and is one of the more established “get-paid-to-drive” companies, but it is more expensive than the rest.

Still Looking: Google It
Search for: “get paid to drive your car” and browse through the results until you find one you like. There are many of these programs available, so feel free to take your time.

Michael Brulotte is a student at Marianopolis College in Montreal, Quebec. He is studying law and will soon become an advocate of international law in Canada. His interests are primarily in human rights, and the association of law and morality.

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